This review is written by Dai Woosnam, daigress@hotmail.com,
5/04
Miranda Sykes is a name that now registers in the UK
on a national level: her reputation thanks in part to her work
with Firebrand and also the Bill Jones Band, and lately the Phil Beer
Band - has grown well beyond her native county of
Lincolnshire. And thus one is tempted to wonder if
one meaning of her punning album title is not simply advice to the
vertiginous who are climbing a high and dizzying spiral staircase to
Folk stardom. Or if you prefer, forget the
“spiral”: rather like a game of “Snakes and Ladders”, at the end of
this CD, let’s ask the question whether we see her Folk career enhanced
or diminished by this foray into “solo album” territory.
The answer just has to be a positive one, as there is so much in this
album to appeal to the listener. That I
wasn’t blown away by it, is of little import: in fairness, this
reviewing game is always somewhat serendipitous, and when one reviews
albums as I do, strictly on a first come/first served basis, there is
always the danger that a very decent album like this will be reviewed
straight after a masterpiece. And late last night I
wrote a review (for another publication) of the long awaited “Best of
Friends” album on Appleseed Recordings: an album I not only expect to
not see bettered this year, but probably not this DECADE.
So it was Miranda whose album had the misfortune to follow a
masterpiece on my reviewer’s playlist. And whereas most CDs would have inevitably brought with them a sense of
“the morning after the Lord Mayor’s Show”, her album proved able to
stand up strong by itself, and not wilt in the heat of the
comparison. And there is so much to love about it.
First I love the fact that she does not go down the usual “young folkie
road” of singer/songwriting. Although her being the
daughter of two well respected singer/songwriters has no doubt meant
that she has inherited the genes, to date (at least, as far as I know),
we have been spared her efforts in that
department. I use the word “spared”
pejoratively, only insofar as so many of the CDs I review contain
largely indifferent, self-penned songs: however if Miranda has a real
talent in that department, then I say “bring it on, please!”, as soon
as possible.
And if the tune she wrote for her setting of Christopher Marlowe’s “The
Passionate Shepherd to his Love” is anything to go by, then she has the
melodic side of the song writing business well
sussed. But she is perhaps wise enough to realise
that lyrics are a whole different ball game, and why try your hand at
it when you can have Shakespeare’s great contemporary as a
lyricist?! (Oh, and by the way Miranda, excuse me
being pedantic, but your liner notes have missed off the “e” off his
surname.) But I admired this choice of opening cut, as I
admired several songs on the CD.
There is one song that sweeps all before it, and that is track 9,
“Lincolnshire Song”. I could write 5,000 words
on this song alone, but because of space restrictions, will limit
myself to a short paragraph.
Now, the casual observer debating whether or not to buy this album and
setting his eyes on the fact that the song is written by her dad John,
might harbour views that some good old-fashioned nepotism has been at
place here!
If he/she DOES think that, then let me disabuse them of such a
thought immediately. It could not be further from the
truth. The fact is that the song is absolute
perfection: the intelligence of the lyric just dazzles in almost every
line, and the melody fits it like a glove. If I
could become Dictator of Lincolnshire, I would insist that the song be
learned by all inhabitants of the County, and sung “a cappella” at the
opening of all public events and meetings: it would even replace
“Jerusalem” at Women’s Institute meetings.
And Miranda delivers it like she has written it herself. Not for her, the auto-pilot delivery favoured by so many these days:
she steadfastly refuses to sacrifice MEANING on the altar of tone and
texture. I can think of no higher praise than to say that
she sings almost CONVERSATIONALLY. (And I was
almost tempted to add that she plays her double bass that way too:
certainly her virtuoso accompaniment if not suggesting a conversation
with us the listener, seems to suggest a constant conversation with
herself the singer. And perhaps that is the hallmark of
good accompaniment.)
And here one must pay tribute to the four musicians who she has roped
in to assist on the album. I know it would be
invidious and silly to pick one out over the others: they all cut the
mustard. But that said, I just have to acclaim Imogen
O’Rourke’s inspirational flute playing, especially on “Lincolnshire
Song”. Brings a lump to the throat when allied to Miranda’s
fine diction.
One slight caveat Miranda. If you are not going to go down
the singer/songwriter road, beware of one potential
pitfall. There will be a tendency to want to sing songs of
friends, especially those who are unknown and need a “helping
hand”. Resist the
temptation. That way, only lies “Mediocrity”.
I have never met you, but can sense that you have a kind and generous
nature. Well, when it comes to choosing material,
throw these aspects of your character out the window. Be
ruthless. For had you been here, one or two of your
selections might never have survived to the CD “final selection” stage.
But a minor caveat in what was a most pleasing CD… one, furthermore, that contains a track of true majesty. Buy itfromwww.irregularrecords.co.uk.
Dai Woosnam
Grimsby, England
daigress@hotmail.com
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